Jackson Free Press

Mississippi No. 2 in Gun Deaths

States like Mississippi with high gun ownership and weak gun laws lead the nation in gun deaths, concludes a new report by the non-profit Violence Policy Center based in Washington, …

New Money for Farish and Medical Mall Expands

The Jackson Redevelopment Authority approved a $1 million loan yesterday to the The Farish Street Group to continue their renovations on Farish Street, and passed a resolution recommending that the …

The JFP Wellness Project

"This is the perfect place to go bike riding," I thought, when my husband and I went to survey the new neighborhood we would be moving into. And apparently he …

Bounty of Zucchini

After one of the strangest winter seasons I can remember, it seems warm weather is finally here to stay. Even though the official start of summer isn't until June 21, …

A Chance for the Next Level

Undeterred by Friday night's rain and eager to make the team, 16 hopeful young men arrived at Newell Field in Jackson bright and early May 8 to try out for …

Jonathan Larkin: The Exit Interview

The Jackson Public Schools Board that Jonathan Larkin served on for almost eight years is a far cry from the board's current, collegial incarnation. Larkin, 55, served from 2002 until …

Judges Building War Chests

With the November judicial elections still months away, many candidates for circuit and county judge positions have not begun campaigning in earnest. If a recent round of campaign-finance records is …

Dine Local This Summer

You hear the "buy local" message from the Jackson Free Press often because we think it's one of the most fundamental things that we all can do as citizens on …

[Colom] Payday Lending: Bad Business

Each month, before receiving his Walmart paycheck, Mike* gets a payday loan. In exchange for the money, he writes the store a check for the amount of money he receives, …

‘Am I Blue?'

"Sita Sings the Blues" is a diaphanous dream of an animated musical. The movie opens on the voluptuous and glittery goddess Sita rising from salty blue waves on a pink …

Did He Do It?

Did grocery delivery driver Willie McGee crawl through a window, wake mother of three Willette Hawkins from her sleep as she held her infant daughter and rape her? Or did …

Gulf Oil Spill: the Ugly Truth

Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency are considering whether to bar BP from receiving government contracts, a move that would ultimately cost the company billions in revenue and could end …

Gulf Oil Spill FAQ

Earlier this month, ProPublica published an FAQ that attempted to explain what's known about how the Deepwater Horizon spill happened, whether it could've been prevented,and who's on the hook for …

Shrimp Processors Fear for Livelihood

Wally Gollott, owner of the Gulf Pride Seafood Company in Biloxi, leads me to a large metal door at the company's freezer, down the street from where 43,000 pounds of …

Just Five Years to RiverWalk?

Jackson developer David Watkins wants to move the Town Creek out of its traditional bed and replace it with a scenic, man-made canal stretching from Mill Street to the creek's …

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16th-Section Logging Too Zealous?

A former Forestry Commission employee is alleging that poor oversight and a new focus on aggressive logging is making statewide timber theft easier.

Lottie W. Thornton

Poised and graceful, Lottie W. Thornton settles into a white oak rocking chair her father made. The walls of her home are lined with awards from Jackson State University's Alumni …

Oil Found on Miss. Barrier Island

Residue from the Gulf oil spill has washed up on Petit Bois Island, Gov. Haley Barbour announced in a press conference this afternoon. A two-mile long strand, approximately one meter …

Regions Plaza Facelift, Steam Room Grille Moves

Regions Plaza downtown is set to begin $1 million in improvements this month. The Hertz Investment Group is updating fixtures and floors in the building to help attract new tenants. …

JFP People of the Day: Laura Crawford and Russ Roca

When Laura Crawford and Russ Roca quit their day jobs to bike around the country, they had only one requirement: As long as they were having fun, they would continue …